Best of European films to enthrall Indian audiences

New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Cine buffs in the capital have something to look forward to in an otherwise lean month for films. Around 20 film from 19 countries will be screened as part of the 14th European Union Film Festival that kicks off Thursday. The March 5-April 22 festival will open with the screening of Czech Republic’s noted film “Czech Dream” at the Siri Fort Auditorium here Thursday evening.

“We are now in the 14th edition of the European Union (EU) festival and it has become a recurrent tradition. The festival has a bouquet of films that will present the EU cultural diversity to the Indian audience,” said Carlos B. Acosta, head of European Commission delegation.

Some of the films to be screened are “Welcome Home” (Austria), “A Perfect Match” (Belgium), “Fighter” (Denmark) and “Beauty and the Bastard” (Finland) among others.

The event is being organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Directorate of Film Festivals in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Commission to India and the Czech Embassy along with other EU member state embassies.

Besides promoting mutual respect and understanding, the aim of the festival is to encourage cultural and commercial relations between Europe’s film industry and Indian filmmakers.

“Music and movies are the easiest things to impose upon people. Movies are a part of understanding our work, our realities and our families. One of the ways of travelling across countries is through movies, and the background of the movies, settings and the visual appeal can tell a lot to an average Indian about our culture,” Hynek Kmonicek, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India.

The festival will travel to other cities including Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Jamshedpur.